


homeostasis

by simplyclockwork



Series: natural progression [24]
Category: Sherlock (TV), Sherlock Holmes & Related Fandoms
Genre: Developing Sherlock Holmes/John Watson, Established Sherlock Holmes/John Watson, Fluffy, Johnlock - Freeform, M/M, POV Sherlock Holmes, Series, Sherlock Holmes Has Feelings, Smoking, reunited, soft
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-12-01
Updated: 2019-12-01
Packaged: 2021-02-26 06:02:50
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 522
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21638548
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/simplyclockwork/pseuds/simplyclockwork
Summary: “I kiss you withcigarettes on my breathand you don’t mind.you bury your facein my neck andtell me youmissed me. I neverwant to let you go again”
Relationships: Sherlock Holmes & John Watson, Sherlock Holmes/John Watson
Series: natural progression [24]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1538974
Comments: 18
Kudos: 70





	homeostasis

**Author's Note:**

> Ficlet 24 in a series of short fics I'm planning to write based on posts from the tumblr account affectionatesuggestion
> 
> The series will follow a progression into an established Johnlock relationship

On the day John is due back from his trip, Sherlock is full of nervous energy. After three days with no cases, nights spent pacing while chain smoking through several packs of cigarettes, and angry muttering to the silent skull on the mantle, he is buzzing with intensity.

Crossing the flat again, he stops before the window; stares down at the street, waiting for a cab to pull up outside. When his hard stare doesn’t result in the materialization of said cab, he pulls a cigarette out of the pack on the coffee table; lights it with jerky movements and takes a long, deep draw.

Puffing smoke out from full lips, Sherlock looks around the empty flat and frowns. Leaning back against the window, cigarette cradled between two fingers, he reflects on the ferocity with which he has missed John over the past few days.

Despite his lack of experience with romantic intimacy, he realizes he hasn’t felt overwhelmed by their transition from friends to more. However, the recent absence of John has been startling in its impact upon his day-to-day routine.

Anxiety twists in his stomach and he sucks aggressively at the cigarette, blowing a stream of vapor against the window as he turns to look back outside. Body tense, fingers drumming on the glass, a black vehicle pulling up to the curb outside catches his attention. A cab.

John.

Turning, he stubs the butt of his cigarette out in an ashtray and walks quickly across the sitting room. Coming to the top of the stairs, he looks down as the front door opens, and John steps into the entryway with duffel bag in hand.

When John raises his head, door swinging shut behind him, his gaze meets Sherlock’s. A warm, wide smile spreads across his face; crinkles the corners of his eyes and etches laugh lines around the edges of his mouth.

That’s all it takes, that one smile, and any residual anxiety Sherlock feels in his stomach washes away, leaving his body feeling light.

He moves down the stairs in an uncharacteristic rush—so much of this, him and John, is uncharacteristic and shiny-new—and, wrapping his fingers around John’s sturdy shoulders, kisses him.

Sherlock knows he must taste of cigarettes—he almost expects John to pull a face and tease him like he always does when Sherlock kisses him with a mouthful of cancerous smoke. But John doesn’t say anything, and he doesn’t pull away, and his tongue is in Sherlock’s mouth, hands grabbing at the detective’s shirt collar to bring him closer.

When they finally come up for air, John tilts forward to bury his face against Sherlock’s neck, sinking into the other man’s arms when they wrap around his back.

“I missed you.” John murmurs, lips moving against Sherlock’s skin as the detective tightens his arms, pressing his face into John’s silvered hair. Sherlock smiles; closes his eyes and breathes John in, holding him against his chest as if he has no intention of letting go again. John digs his fingers into the fabric of Sherlock’s jacket like he understands, breathing silent agreement against warm skin.

**Author's Note:**

> wow, this series is longer than I expected it would be, and more to come!


End file.
